Today | News | Books | Recipes Adventure | Science Fiction | Ghost stories | Poetry | Children | History Bookuring operations carried on by them in front of Givenchy. The body was exposed by the explosion of one of the German heavy shells, was identified, and was buried near the Red House, on the sunken road to Givenchy. All who knew him spoke highly of his untiring devotion to his work and duty. One of his senior officers wrote: "No braver or better soldier ever fought for England, and so nobly died--I knew him well--absolutely fearless for himself, his whole mind concentrated on the success of the undertaking, he nobly met his death. Not only at the Front but through the whole of his career work and duty came first. No man ever maintained such untiring zeal or devoted his life more unselfishly to the work he undertook for his country. His death is a grievous loss to all who knew him officially and unofficially." He was a keen rifle shot, and interested himself in the members of his Volunteer Corps becoming first-class shots. In Oct. 1913 he was appointed to the Executive Council of the Bengal Presidency Rifle Association in recognition of his interest and work in connection with musketry. He attended the Annual Meetings held at Meerut, won the Field Officers' Cup in 1912, and his teams of Volunteers won the Army versus Volunteers Competition. Major Gardiner was also conspicuous in connection with the work of St. John Ambulance Association in India, especially in the training of the men of the O.R. Ry. Vol. Rifles, teams of whom successfully carried off the Railway Shield in 1911, 1912, and 1913. In recognition of his services he was made a Serving Brother of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem and received the decoration of the order from the Viceroy of India. In the English Railway World Major Gardiner was known as having, in 1908, brought forward a system of cab signals and the automatic electrical control of moving trains as a safeguard against the failure of the human machine. He was a member of the Institution of Civil Engineers and also of the Institute of Electrical Engineers. He _m._ at Lucknow, 24 March, 1897, Edith May (The Retreat, Sutherland Avenue, Bexhill), dau. of Campbell Thomson, M.I.C.E., late Chief Engineer of the N.W. of India State Railway, and had three children: Richard, _b._ 28 Oct. 1900; John Campbell, _b._ 20 Nov. 1905; and Dorothy Agnes, _b._ 11 April, 1903. [Illustration: =Alec Gardiner.=] =GARDINER, ANDREW=, Private, No. 68450, 25th Battn. Canadian Expeditionary Force, _s._ of Michael Gardiner, of Reserve Mines; _b._ Reserve Mines, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, 2 Feb. 1887; educ. Reserve Public School; was a Coal Miner and settled at Sidney Mines where he worked in No. 1 Colliery; volunteered after the outbreak of war and joined the 40th Battn., 25 Feb. 1915; was drafted to 25th Battn., 17 May, came over with one of the later Contingents, and died, 12 Nov. 1915, of wounds received in action on the 3rd. Sergt. Mowyr, 5th Brigade Mining Section, wrote: "We were in an exposed position, but the work we were engaged in had to be done, and required men of nerve--fearless men--to do it. With others we were getting along fine, when snipers picked off a couple of our brave fellows. I had to call for volunteers to replace the fellows who died. Scarcely before I gave the order than poor Andrew jumped forward and worked like a hero. Ho was only at the job but a short time, when a sniper's bullet tore a hole across his forehead rendering him unconscious.... Andrew was one of the bravest boys in the regiment. He was admired and respected by all the officers and men, and was a general favourite with the crowd." Gardiner was prominent in athletics, being well known player in the Reserve Mines ball team and later in the Sydney Mines' Victorias. He _m._ at Sydney Mines, 15 Feb. 1908, Eveline (Crescent Street, Sydney Mines, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia), dau. of George Bonnar, and had four children: George W., _b._ 6 June, 1910; John Joseph, _b._ 13 Dec. 1914; Viola, _b._ 24 Oct, 1908; and Eveline, _b._ 19 Sept. 1912. [Illustration: =Andrew Gardiner.=] =GARDINER, ERNEST FREDERIC (ERIC)=, Private, No. 2312, Honourable Artillery Company, yr. _s._ of Frederic John Gardiner, J.P., co. Camb., Proprietor and Editor "Isle of Ely and Wisbech Advertiser," by his wife, Amelia, dau. of Fredrick Charles Southwell, of Selborne House, Wisbech; _b._ Wisbech (Cambs), 22 April, 1892; educ. Barton School, Wisbech, and Mill Hill School, London; joined the H.A.C. after the outbreak of war, Sept. 1914, proceeded to the Front at the end of January, and was killed in action in the trenches at St. Eloi, Belgium, 20 April, 1915; _unm._ He was buried in the grounds of the Château d'Elzenwalle, near Ypres, on his 23rd birthday. [Illustration: =Ernest F. Gardiner.=] =GARDINER, FRED=, Private, No. 77520, 15th Battn. (48th Highlanders), Canadian Expeditionary Force, 6th _s._ of the late James Gardiner, of Trowbridge, by his wife, Martha (9, Yerbury Street, Trowbridge), dau. of Charles Pitney; _b._ Trowbridge, co. Wilts, 25 Jan. 1886; educ. Church School there; was a G.W.R. Fireman; went to Canada in May, 1911; volunteered after the outbreak of War and joined the Canadian Expeditionary Force in Oct. 1914; came over with the 2nd Contingent on 20 Feb. 1915; trained at Shorncliffe; went to France, 2 May, and was killed in action at Festubert, 21 May, 1915; _unm._ =GARDINER, JOHN PHILIP=, Private, No. 9312, 5th Battn. (London Rifle Brigade) The London Regt. O.F., _s._ of Edwin Gardiner, of 56, Alexandra Road, Hornsey, N., Warehouseman, by his wife, Edith Maria, dau. of George Lamb, of Compton, Wolverhampton; _b._ Esher, co. Surrey, 7 March, 1895; educ. Stationers' School, Hornsey, and on leaving there entered the employ of Messrs. John Howell & Co., Ltd., of St. Paul's Churchyard; joined the London Rifle Brigade, 12 Oct. 1912, and volunteered for foreign service on the outbreak of war; went to France, 4 Nov. 1914, and was killed in action at Le Gheer, 16 Feb. 1915; _unm._ He was buried in the Regimental Cemetery at Ploegsteert. His Capt. wrote: "He was always so plucky and cheery and a very good little soldier." [Illustration: =John Philip Gardiner.=] =GARDINER, LEWIS=, Stoker, Petty Officer (R.F.R., Ch. B. 8458), 294842, H.M.S. Cressy; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914. =GARDINER, PERCY HENRY=, Stoker, 2nd Class, K. 22103, H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914. =GARDINER, WALTER ARTHUR=, Private, R.M.L.I., 13308, H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914. =GARDNER, FREDERICK ALBERT=, Private, R.M.L.I., Ch./17521, H.M.S. Cressy; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914. =GARDNER, HENRY PATRICK=, Chief Stoker, 276293, H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914. =GARDNER, JOHN=, A.B. (R.F.R., B. 2431), 179552, H.M.S. Aboukir; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914. =GARDNER, ROBERT MACGREGOR STEWART=, Major, 1st Battn. The Gloucestershire Regt. |